The 2013 NFL Draft’s running back class has a chance to make history. For the first time in the history of the draft, a running back may not be drafted in the first round.
2013 NFL Draft: Johnathan Franklin moving ahead of Eddie Lacy?
The only consensus on this year’s running back class is that there is no consensus.
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Part of the reason for that is the slight decline in the value of the position, but the it has more to do with the depth of this year's running back class and the lack of a consensus top back. To add fuel to that fire, Tony Pauline tweeted on Sunday that a number of teams now have Johnathan Franklin of UCLA ahead of Alabama's Eddie Lacy as the top back running back in the draft.
Franklin had a standout senior season, putting up over 2,000 total yards and 15 touchdowns. Pauline notes that he is drawing comparisons to Frank Gore and Doug Martin. With his ability as a dual threat and the combination of power and burst he has shown, Franklin could be in that mold of running backs.
Out of this year’s crop, Franklin has been most consistently impressive in season, in postseason all-star games and the pre-draft process. With Lacy’s hamstring hampering his performance the last few months, Franklin could be the top back off the board, and it wouldn’t be a huge shock if he came off the board in the first round.
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